Commonwealth of England

The Commonwealth was the republican government which ruled first England and then the whole of Britain, Ireland, the colonies and other Crown possessions during the periods from 1649 (the monarch Charles I being beheaded on January 30 and "" being passed by the Rump Parliament on 19 May that year) to 1653 and from 1659 to 1660. (The Rump Parliament was what was left over after the purge by Colonel Pride (Pride's Purge), which expelled all the supporters of Charles I). The term is also loosely used to describe the system of government during the whole of 1649 - 1660, the years of the Interregnum, although during 1653 - 1659, the government is properly called The Protectorate and took the form of direct personal rule by Oliver Cromwell, and after his death, of his son Richard, as Lord Protector.

Radicals vs. Conservatives

Parliament had, to a large degree, encouraged the radical political groups which emerged when the usual social controls broke down during the English Civil War. It had also unwittingly established a new political force when it set up the New Model Army. Not surprisingly, all these groups had their own hopes for the new Commonwealth.

Related Topics:
English Civil War - New Model Army

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Levellers

• Led by John Lilburne, Levellers drew their main support from London and the Army. In the Agreement of the People, 1649, the Levellers asked for:
• a more representative and accountable parliament, to meet every two years;
• a reform of law so it would be available to, and fair to all;
• religious toleration.
• Levellers wanted a more democratic society, though their proposed franchise did not extend to women or to the lowest orders of society.
• Levellers saw the Rump as little better than the monarchy it had replaced. They showed their displeasure in demonstrations, pamphlets and mutinies.
• They did not have the numbers to pose a serious threat to the government, but they scared the Rump into action. The Treasons Act was passed against them in 1649.

Diggers

• Led by Gerrard Winstanley, Diggers wanted an even more equal society than the Levellers. They advocated:
• communal ownership of land;
• absolute equality for males and females in law and education.
• The Diggers' lifestyle was an early form of communism, but they existed in only very small numbers. They faced a lot of opposition, even from the Levellers.

Religious sects

The breakdown of religious uniformity and incomplete Presbyterian Settlement of 1646 enabled independent churches to flourish. The main sects (see also English Dissenters) were:

Related Topics:
Presbyterian - 1646 - English Dissenters

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• Baptists, who advocated adult rebaptism;
• Ranters, who claimed that sin did not exist for the "chosen ones";
• Fifth Monarchy Men, who opposed all "earthly" governments, believing they must prepare for God's kingdom on earth by establishing a "government of saints".

Despite greater toleration, extreme sects were opposed by the upper classes as they were seen as a threat to social order and property rights.

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Catholics were also excluded from the toleration applied to the other groups.

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Conservatives

Conservatives were still dominant in:

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• Central government: the Rump was anxious not to offend the traditional ruling class whose support it needed for survival. So it opposed radical ideas.
• Local government: this was dominated by the traditional ruling class.